IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 7/30/2015

Microsoft's 'flagship' store in NYC opens its doors in the fall
While there are Microsoft stores around the United States, the company will be opening its 'flagship' store in New York City's Fifth Avenue later in the fall, according to the company.

Microsoft is most likely waiting for the lucrative holiday season before it opens up shop in Fifth Avenue, as there will be plenty of new Windows 10 devices and PCs to sell, as well as the new OS itself. Surface is continuing to sell well, but with Windows 10 launching today, Microsoft is in the perfect position to open up a new flagship store.


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MSI teases its Z170A XPOWER Gaming Titanium Edition motherboard
Intel is about to press the launch button on its upcoming Skylake processors, a range that will include the new flagship Core i7-6700K processor, and while we've seen some of the GIGABYTE and BIOSTAR boards, now we're getting a sneak peak at one of MSI's enthusiast boards.

The MSI Z170A XPOWER Gaming Titanium Edition is a work of art, sporting a beautiful white and black color scheme that is going to look great with the right components. One of the standout features on the new Z170A XPOWER Gaming Titanium Edition motherboard is the inclusion of the 'MSI OC Dashboard'. This dashboard is located next to the DIMMs, and lets you overclock your system very easily.

The MSI OC Dashboard has a few buttons on it that lets you overclock your CPU, but it also features direct BCLK control from the new tool. You can also do a complete discharge of the motherboard, which is a different touch than we're used to. On the board itself, we have two M.2 slots, 8 x SATA 6Gbps ports, two SATA Express ports, two USB 2.0 connectors, a right-angled USB 3.0 connector, and an internal USB 2.0 port.


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Mafia 3 confirmed, will be shown off during Gamescom next week
The announcement of Mafia 3 being in development has just happened, with 2K Games officially announcing the game through Twitter, with a full reveal on August 5, during Gamescom.

See the worldwide reveal of the #Mafia3 announcement trailer on 8/5/15 here: http://t.co/sZ71Hl24i5 pic.twitter.com/1T4bdzBFIq

— Mafia Game (@mafiagame) July 28, 2015

Mafia 2 was released in August 2010, some eight years after the original Mafia was released. We have been hearing about Mafia 3 for quite sometime now, but it looks like we will be hearing all about it next week. Mafia 3 is currently in development by 2K Games studio Hangar 13.

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Windows 10 launch has Microsoft securing 40Tbps of bandwidth
The launch of Windows 10 is here, with Microsoft blasting out the Windows 10 update to some PCs who had 'reserved' a copy of the new desktop operating system.

Users are reporting that they're seeing a "'$Windows.~BT' folder onto the C:/ of their system, with Plaffo.com reporting: "Several users have noticed a new folder in the main memory of your PC called '$Windows.~ BT' that contains the files for the installation of Windows 10". The folder sitting in C:/ is only visible if you enabled hidden files and folders in your Windows settings.

But the more interesting news is coming from the fact that Windows 10 is going to chew up a considerable amount of the Internet for the coming days, with Dan Rayburn, an analyst at Frost & Sullivan saying that Microsoft had wanted to start blasting out Windows 10 to users on July 25, but had to wait for the delivery and distribution partners to free up capacity up to an insane 40Tbps (over 4TB/sec).


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Xbox chief happy to see 'death of consoles' talk proven wrong
Xbox boss Phil Spencer believes it's a great time for the gaming console market, and years ago shot down talk of the console business dying. Instead, the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 have both garnered major attention by gamers:

"I have a lot of respect for the team at Sony and the success they've had with PS4, and it's a great time for the console industry," Spencer said in an interview with Edge. "I've said this a few times, but four years ago when I was sitting doing these interviews it was, 'do people need consoles any more?' and, 'isn't this just dead? Everybody's playing on their phone.' And now you're looking at the PS4 having sold over - I don't remember their last number - but over 20 million."

Game studios still must work hard to develop AAA games for consoles that are successful - and some wonder if game console units are actually profitable for Microsoft or Sony. In the end, manufacturers will continue pushing forward with consoles, as gamers are still interested in buying them.

Spencer also spoke about the Xbox product line and Nintendo's possible future plans: "And we've sold a ton of Xbox Ones globally, more than we've sold 360s [in the same period]. We're both doing really well, and I think Nintendo has a plan for the future - I don't know what the NX is, but it's great just to see the business being done."


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Netflix will keep its DVD, Blu-ray rental business alive... for now
Netflix has transitioned subscribers away from renting DVDs and Blu-ray in favor of its streaming service, but that doesn't mean the rental business will suddenly disappear. There are still more than 5 million DVD subscribers, which is much lower than the 20 million subscribers in 2010, but that doesn't mean Netflix is just going to fold the business unit.

In Netflix's East Bay distribution center that is located in Fremont, California, the automatic sorter processes more than 3,000 movies per hour - a significantly higher number than when human workers had to process each movie.

Netflix, however, has more than 65 million streaming subscribers, though the company said it is fighting to break even through 2016. The company is dumping money into content, expansion, and reinforcing its huge Internet pipeline.

"If you cut back on service, you are going to lose your subscriber base," said Hank Breeggemann, GM of the DVD division at Netflix, in a statement to the New York Times. "Expect us to continue to ship DVDs for the foreseeable future."


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Anger the Internet by killing Cecil the Lion? Suffer the backlash!
Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer isn't having a good day, as the Internet is flooding his business with angry phone calls, emails, and Yelp reviews.

Palmer, an avid hunter, was hunting in Zimbabwe when he shot 13-year-old Cecil the Lion. The lion, which lived on protected national parkland, was lured out of its sanctuary - and was shot by the bow hunter. After being wounded, Palmer and his paid guides tracked the animal for about 40 hours before finally killing him.

The lion was extremely popular among tourists at the park, and had six lioness mates and more than a dozen cubs. Palmer paid more than $50,000 to go lion hunting while in Zimbabwe, and killed an animal that wore a GPS collar while being tracked by Oxford University researchers, according to The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.

Palmer's Zimbabwean guides have been arrested and charged with poaching, the same crime that Palmer is expected to face.

Palmer's business, River Bluff Dental, had its website dropped due to overwhelming Web traffic - and people have gone ballistic on the dental office's Yelp page. It now has a 1-star average rating with around 750 reviews when this story was published.

As more people share the story of Cecil the Lion online, celebrities, journalists, and the public have voiced their displeasure regarding Cecil's killing.


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Square Enix CEO: Tomb Raider exclusivity 'wasn't an easy decision'
There was some surprise when Square Enix announced Rise of the Tomb Raider would be exclusive for the Microsoft Xbox platform for one year.

"I hope fans know that it wasn't an easy decision. I think any sort of partnership at this level is a decision that took a long time for us to get to," said Phil Rogers, CEO of the Americas and Europe at Square Enix, in a statement to The Examiner. "The decision at a studio level, we took very, very seriously. We knew it would, in the short-term, disappoint fans."

Square Enix apparently made the decision after noting Microsoft's continued passion for the Tomb Raider series: "Having been working with us on previous games in a lesser sense, they've been supportive. [However], for Rise of the Tomb Raider, they've just brought this passion and belief that has really enabled us to blow people away. People should feel that about Microsoft. Their commitment to Tomb Raider is just amazing for us."

Most game studios prefer to release their titles for both game consoles, though there are occasional titles that are exclusive for one console or the other. Considering the PlayStation 4 has handily outsold the Xbox One, Square Enix understands what it has gotten itself into by offering one year of Xbox exclusivity. I'm fascinated to see the sales charts considering it will only be available for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One for one year.

Tomb Raider is scheduled for launch on November 10, and will be available for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One.


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Alaska Airlines testing biometrics technology at San Jose airport
Alaska Airlines has teamed up with the airport security firm CLEAR to test a biometrics platform that could one day replace traditional boarding passes. The biometrics system should make it even easier to check-in, and save passengers a bit of time before boarding a flight.

A kiosk machine at the Mineta San Jose International Airport scans a traveler's eye, or checks fingerprints, before hopping on a plane. It's a groundbreaking effort that costs members $179 per year, and is currently being tested in 12 US airports.

"We have no specific timeline, but we look forward to working with Alaska Airlines to expand our relationship to other cities in their network," said Ken Cornick, president and CFO of CLEAR, in a statement published by the San Jose Mercury News. "Having direct access to a boarding pass and not needing to print it or download it into their phone is both a significant customer advantage and security advantage."

There are a few problems that must be worked out - passengers can forget where their seat is, a check-in tablet might not be available at the gate, or the fingerprint scanners can be somewhat wonky. However, the biometrics technology is here and it will be curious to see how it develops over time, with more passengers giving it a try.


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Bethesda: 'We made a s**tload of Pip-Boys,' but it hasn't been enough
The Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition has been extremely popular, and if you weren't able to pre-order it, you're most likely out of luck.

Bethesda has hit the factory limit on creating the custom Pip-Boy units, so no more are able to be made:

"We reached a point where we'd go back to the factories and they were like, 'guys, this is it, sorry. This is as long as we can run the lines and as many of them as we can make,'" said Pete Hines, VP of Marketing at Bethesda, in a statement to GameSpot.

Not surprisingly, the special edition quickly sold out at retailers, and Bethesda previously warned that gamers better act fast if they wanted one.

"We made a s**tload of Pip-Boys, and we went back and made more, and went back and made more. I keep seeing stuff about, 'Oh, you only did a few thousands.' No - we did a ton of these things. I think we did more of these things than we did for any collector's edition we've ever done, ever."

Fallout 4 is scheduled for launch on November 10, and will be available for the PC, Microsoft Xbox One, and Sony PlayStation 4.


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Semi-autonomous, autonomous vehicles causing NHTSA to check its rules
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is aware of growing development in self-driving vehicle technology, and wants to make sure future rollouts go smoothly.

The NHTSA wants to be as prepared as possible, taking a look at state and federal regulation regarding autonomous vehicles. NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind understands his agency must be proactive, understanding future risks: "The first time a self-driving car hits somebody, and someone gets hurt or is fatally injured, we're going to get the phone call."

It will be years before a full self-driving car is available to drivers, but Rosekind admits "we have a lot of catch-up to do."

American drivers understand the technology is coming, though many drivers want the ability to use a steering wheel and pedals in case of emergency. Only 15 percent of users are okay with fully capable self-driving vehicles, according to a survey from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.


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ESPN could be sold as a standalone service, but not anytime soon
Disney CEO Bob Iger sees a time when ESPN is available a la carte direct to consumers, with more viewers interested in cutting the cord. However, Iger is aware of declining revenue generated from traditional subscriptions, and finding new ways to cater to viewers is important.

"Technology is the most disruptive force that so-called traditional media is facing," Iger recently said while speaking on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "[But] while the business model may face challenges over the next few years, long term for ESPN, they'll be fine."

Don't bother talking about price, as it "would be conjecture at this point." The service won't be available any time soon, and it'll probably take at least five years before the service is available - well, unless there is additional erosion to cable and satellite bundles.

Iger's statement must be scary news for traditional cable and satellite providers, with more services available a la carte.


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Military trying to figure out how to stop drones used as IEDs
US military officials are increasingly concerned about small drones being used as flying improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that can be used against civilians and military personnel.

To help defend against future threats, the Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) system is being developed, a gun-based solution that could be used to down drones. However, it is extremely difficult to quickly identify and engage drones:

"In addition, due to their size, construction material, and flight altitude, hobbyist drones are difficult to defend against if their presence in a particular area is unknown or expected," said Kelley Sayler, associate fellow at the Center for a New American Security, in a recent paper.

"These factors could in turn increase the likelihood that hobbyist drones - particularly those assembled by the operator, and thus not subject to manufacturer-installed geofencing - could be weaponized and autonomously deployed in a terrorist attack against civilians or in an IED-like capacity against patrolling military personnel."

Citizens are interfering with airport airspace, and a drone even crashed on the White House lawn, revealing how serious this problem is. Security experts caution it wouldn't take much to turn a consumer drone into a flying bomb that is able to cause potentially serious damage.


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White House responds to online Edward Snowden pardon petition
The White House has responded to an online petition to pardon Edward Snowden, which generated more than 167,000 signatures since going live in June 2013.

The petition had the following description: "Edward Snowden is a national hero and should be immediately issued a full, free, and absolute pardon for any crimes he has committed or may have committed related to blowing the whistle on secret NSA surveillance programs."

"Instead of constructively addressing these issues, Mr. Snowden's dangerous decision to steal and disclose classified information had severe consequences for the security of our country and the people who work day in and day out to protect it," said Lisa Monaco, President Obama's Advisor on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

Monaco also said Snowden should have challenged it, spoke out, engaged in a constructive act of protest and then accept the consequences of his actions. Yeah. Right. I am sure Snowden loved the idea of hiding in Russia, which Monaco described as "an authoritarian regime."

Snowden has said on numerous occasions that he would like to return home to the United States, but that doesn't seem likely any time soon.


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Expert expresses concern that robots could wipe out mankind
Robots could have the potential to become so intelligent and autonomous that they eventually pose a threat to humans, according to Dr. Stuart Armstrong, from the Oxford University Future of Humanity Institute.

If this occurs, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will learn comprehension that is so literal it will pose a major threat. When ordered to "prevent human suffering" the robots could read the command as "kill all humans," according to Dr. Armstrong.

Leading tech experts have shared an open letter that requests nations ban killer robots and artificial intelligence on the battlefield - a frightening possibility in the years to come.

It's a telling sign of the times when leading tech and science researchers are arguing about the long-term impact that AI and robotics could have on humans. Of course, some experts wonder if the robots would realistically be able to self-learn - and communicate with one another - while still functioning at an optimum level without human interaction.


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BitFenix Aegis Micro-ATX Tower Chassis Review

Introduction, Specifications and Pricing

BitFenix seems to be on the move when it comes to case design. While their start was sort of slow with a few designs that really made customers take notice, it now seems they feel more free to design things a little outside of the box when it comes to chassis design. Case and point, it seems that ever since they released the Prodigy chassis, things have gotten more rounded, and they seem like they are indeed trying to innovate. Once we got a look at the Pandora, we got the pleasure of a customizable TFT screen on the front, and harking back to the Thermaltake Armor series of cases, the side panels had "wings" that wrapped around the front of the chassis to offer yet another way of smoothing out chassis design.

As we are seeing more and more as of late, the move now is to angles, not only in the trim, but the front bezels as well as the tops of cases seem to all be taking the same line when releasing their newest cases, much like we saw from NZXT. BitFenix keeps the TFT screen that users seemed to really like, but we are seeing a new interior layout. Of course, this chassis sticks to a compact design with its Micro-ATX chassis specification, but the reality is that smaller boards are just as capable as their larger ATX brethren these days, so no real complaints there.

What we are going to be looking at today is the Aegis from BitFenix. This chassis is compact, offers a bit of modularity to the design inside, and with the version we were sent, and the many color options available, we feel the aggressive exterior design may indeed be something the masses will really take to. There is even more that this chassis offers, but if you would like to see what that is, you will need to continue reading, as we take a detailed tour around the BitFenix Aegis Micro-ATX tower chassis.

The specifications list for this compact Aegis is quite extensive, and begins by stating that this chassis is already currently offered in black, white, red, blue, and yellow, and as the Prodigy did, there may be more options on the way. We next see mention of the 2.8" TFT screen that displays the BitFenix logo by default, and via software you can edit the 240 by 320 pixel screen to show anything you wish it to. There is also a built-in fan controller to accommodate four fans, and uses 4-pin headers for fan power and a Molex plug to power the controller. Of course, this chassis houses a Micro-ATX board as its maximum compatibility, but also users can opt for Mini-ITX boards as well. The next things we run into then are the limitations of this chassis where we see 170mm of CPU clearance, room for 380mm worth of video cards, and the PSU can only be 220mm long, with cables included.

In and around the chassis there four 3.5" drive positions, two of which are removable, and it also has a room for up to four 2.5" drives, two in a cage, one by the PSU, and another next to the motherboard. There are also dust filters for the top, front, and bottom of the chassis to keep fans and the interior clean. Speaking of fans, the cooling options are pretty robust as well. The front will take a pair of 120mm or 140mm fans, as well the top of the chassis. The floor of the chassis offers room for a single 120mm or 140mm fan option, while the back offers room for a 120mm fan, and is the only one included from the factory. Of course with this design, there is also ample room for water cooling, and radiator support in all locations fans can be installed.

Finishing up with the chart, we are shown the front I/O panel contents other than the fan controller, and the dimensions are listed. We also see that the construction is steel for the frame and panels, and ABS plastic used on the top and front of the chassis. Then we are told the chassis weighs 14.8 pounds empty, and finishes with a list of all the extras found in, on, and around the Aegis.

Venturing over to Amazon, at the time of writing, we found the white version of the BitFenix Aegis on sale for $119 including free shipping. The blue version is the same price, and the other colors are priced higher. Of course, there are a few things you won't find in a $50 chassis, but BitFenix has a serious hill to climb in this review to warrant such pricing in our minds; so let's see if they can do just that, shall we?
... Read the rest in your browser!



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Mionix Unveils the CASTOR Gaming Mouse
Setting a new standard in ergonomic comfort and gaming performance, Mionix today announced the CASTOR, the latest entry in their stellar lineup of premium gaming mice. Named for one of the brightest stars in the night sky, the 6-button, multi-color optical CASTOR mouse is crafted especially for right-handed gamers with dedicated ring and pinkie finger grooves and enhanced rubber grip, and features the outstanding technical performance that has made Mionix a cult favorite worldwide.

The CASTOR's unique shape has been developed to be used by right-handed players to equally support palm, claw and fingertip-grip. The mouse has a dedicated pinky- and ring-finger support-groove which makes it extremely comfortable to hold and lift. The PMW-3310 gaming grade optical sensor has no positive or negative hardware acceleration, amazing accuracy, smooth tracking, and a maximum speed of more than 5.45m/sec (215 IPS), all the way up to 10000DPI. It is the choice of the world's top pro-gamers and widely considered as the best gaming sensor currently available.

The new lift-off distance (LOD) Calibration feature combines the Surface Quality Analyzer Tool (S.Q.A.T) with adjustment of the lift-off height to find the lowest possible LOD with optimized tracking. The lightning fast 32bit ARM processor enables the mouse to have numerous gaming features without compromising the tracking of the sensor. The downloadable software provides access to fully customize all buttons, sensor settings, LED colors, macros and profiles.

Key Features of the CASTOR include:

• Five fingers, one home: Right-hand ergonomics with ring- and pinky-finger groove to comfortably place all five fingers on the mouse.
• Maximum grip: 4 layers of rubber coating and the optimized textured side rubbers ensure maximum grip and soft touch feel.
• Lightning fast processor: The 32bit ARM Processor running at 32Mhz is the powerful engine to power it all and ensure trouble free and quick setting changes in-game.
• 128kb built-in memory: Bring your settings and recorded macros with you stored into up to different 5 profiles.
• Zero- Acceleration Sensor with up to 10000DPI: 1:1 Tracking, no positive or negative hardware acceleration.
• In-game 3 step DPI adjustment: Set 3 DPI values and switch easily between them in-game.

The CASTOR is expected to be available worldwide in September for US$69.99. For more information and to place your pre order, visit mionix.net/mice/castor.


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Thermaltake Sponsors PDXLAN 26 and Quakecon 2015
Thermaltake, being an industry leader in computer chassis, thermal solutions, and power supply units is happy to announce the new Core P5, Supressor F51 and Tt eSPORTS gaming peripherals tour of both PDXLAN 26 (June 17-20) in Portland and Quakecon 2015 (June 23-26) in Dallas!

Thermaltake has been a long time sponsor and supporter of PDXLAN as it embodies many of the core values which Thermaltake holds true with the PC case mod community.

PDXLAN being fueled by legions of hardcore PC gamers and case modding enthusiasts means that attending and being involved with these sort of events is paramount to advancing and understanding just what these users need and showing them the critical advancements with our new chassis, cooling and gaming gear products designs to enhance the way we interact with our PCs.

The key products showcased at the Thermaltake & Tt eSPORTS display includes:

• Thermaltake Core P5 "Wall Mountable" Chassis
• Thermaltake Pacific Series DIY LCS Components
• Tt eSPORTS Poseidon Z RGB Keyboard
• Tt eSPORTS Ventus X Mouse

These key new products are shown to reaffirm our commitment to the hardcore gaming and case mod users and demonstrate how we are working to improve the overall user experience.

CPU Magazine Case Mod Competition

CPU Magazine always hosts a case mod contest within the PDXLAN events and Thermaltake is not only happy to sponsor the event with prizes but also once again a Thermaltake Core X Series mod placed in the Top 3 with the Minecraft R2-D2 modded Core X1 completed by Brian Carter gaining a 3rd place finish among some very stiff competition!

Here you can see that the Core X1 has had its height shortened to make it a more symmetric shape and legs added to complete the R2 D2 styling but that's just a start. Then you can see that the now vertical front portion has had a custom motherboard tray made and custom windowed allowing full viewing of the mounted motherboard and custom sleeved cabling.

Quakecon 2015

Thermaltake is enjoying its second year sponsoring Quakecon and exhibiting to all of the attendees, hardcore enthusiasts, modders and gamers for the Quakecon 2015 event. Quakecon attracts many extreme and DIY users from far reaches for a chance to see some of the newest games from Bethesda and other vendors along with some of the newest gaming hardware offerings along with a huge BYOC area for 24/7 gaming action.

Thermaltake and Tt eSPORTS worked with partners MSI and Cyberpower to assemble 5 extreme gaming builds which allows users to test the best and newest from the Thermaltake and Tt eSPORTS lineup.

The key products showcased at the Thermaltake & Tt eSPORTS display includes:

• Thermaltake Core P5 "Wall Mountable" Chassis
• Thermaltake Supressor F51 Silent Gaming Chassis
• Thermaltake Pacific Series DIY LCS Components
• Tt eSPORTS Poseidon Z RGB Keyboard
• Tt eSPORTS Ventus X Mouse

These products were chosen as they are the newest gaming offerings showcasing the new Thermaltake direction of providing not just cooling performance but uncompromised silence and overall best gaming performance possible.

Quakecon Case Modding Championship by Modders Inc

Modders Inc staff has been a mainstay for the modding scene at Quakecon and a group which Thermaltake is proud to partner with as well. The whole BYOC area was loaded with great case mods going to the most extreme possible so it was with great pride that Thermaltake can announce that the new Supressor F51 mod "RevoluTtion" by famous modder Mark Mollela of Precision Computing took home the first place prize with the best mod of the show!

Here you can see that the Supressor F51 has been completely stripped down to give it a custom orange finish along with many hand polished copper panels to give it a truly unique look and extreme styling. The inclusion of a full copper PSU cover and Tt LCS Pacific DIY components round out the build with some very amazing style.

This level of detail is the reason Thermaltake has worked so hard to support the modding community and provide new and innovative products to enable mods of this caliber to reach the next level!


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Addonics Announces Rack-Mount SATA to USB 3.1 Converter
Addonics Technologies today announced a rack-mount SATA to USB 3.1 Converter, which allows users to turn any SATA device into the latest SuperSpeed+ USB 3.1 storage.

When connected to a USB 3.1 port, the converter can deliver data throughput up to 10 Gbps. This effectively doubles the speed of USB 3.0 and is 20 times faster than USB 2.0. Since it is backward compatible with previous USB standards, any SATA hard drive, SSD (Solid State Drive), and even optical drives can easily be converted into USB 3.1 storage. It comes mounted on a SCIS-I bracket, which means it can easily be mounted onto any storage enclosure with a standard SCSI-1 (Centronic 50) cut out. It can be mounted on a standard desktop computer chassis by using an optional PCI mounting bracket.

The converter comes in a choice of models. There's also a model with a WRITE-PROTECT function that is ideal for sharing drives containing important data among different users or for forensic application. Drives connecting to this bridge appear as READ-ONLY media, similar to a CD or DVD disc. All features are identical as the standard version except the WRITE function is disabled. This unique feature ensures absolute protection on any hard drive or SSD against virus contamination or data tampering.

The new products are an ideal companion to the Addonics USB 3.1 PCIe controller, which the company announced last month. The controller is a simple and economical solution for adding the latest high speed 10 Gbps USB 3.1 port to desktop computers or servers.

Suggested retail for the SATA to USB 3.1 Converter is $26.99. The product is OS independent, no driver required. For more information see this page.


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COUGAR Announces 230M and 250M Gaming Mice
COUGAR announces today the arrival of a revolutionary pair of gaming mice to the market: 230M and 250M. These mice's significance comes not only from their specs or appearance, but also from the idea behind them: putting pro level gaming mice within everybody's grasp. The new 230M and 250M offer a solution to every gamer, including both right and left handed users: Their ambidextrous design is highly comfortable for everybody. While their appearance and objective is similar, there are differences between both: 230M has been designed for purists who care mostly about the mouse's quality and accuracy, while 250M adds to that a broad functionality.

Both products share many features essential for gaming. Both have a 1000 Hz polling rate, which guarantees extremely low (1ms) response time, and their components are all of the highest quality, as shown for example in their OMRON Switches and gaming grade scroll wheel. Apart from that, they both sport extremely high quality sensors (3200 DPI for 230M, 4000 DPI for 250M) that allow the user to adjust the DPI levels on-the-fly (4 fixed levels for 230M, configurable DPI levels for 250M).

230M caters to purists who do not require any extra functionality apart from the essential DPI adjustment option. They care only about having an accurate and reliable sensor, the minimum response time and a good ergonomic design, and with 230M this is exactly what they get.
250M, on the other hand, includes a wide range of functions, all of them managed through the best gaming device management system on the market, COUGAR UIX. With 6 fully programmable buttons (including two distinctive "thumb paddle" buttons) and internal memory for up to 3 full configuration profiles, 250M allows the user to access up to 21 different functions.
These are, in essence, two gaming mice which come to give an excellent option to all those people who want an affordable gaming mouse. 250M's USA MSRP is 29.9 USD, 230M's USA MSRP is 19.9 USD.
For more information, visit the product pages of the COUGAR 230M and COUGAR 250M.


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Lenovo Ready to Launch Windows 10 Devices
Lenovo today announced it will begin shipping a wide selection of products loaded with Windows 10 starting July 29. Lenovo has an extensive list of products eligible for this upgrade including popular models like the YOGA 3 Pro and YOGA 500. Lenovo customers can check here for their product's eligibility.

Lenovo has worked with Microsoft Corp. to make the process of upgrading simple, for people with qualified Lenovo PC running Windows 7 SP1 or 8.1 to upgrade to Windows 10. Starting on July 29, the updates will roll out. If a user has reserved a copy of Windows 10, he/she will be notified once the compatibility process confirms that the user will have a great experience, and Windows 10 has been downloaded on their system.

Lenovo Apps Enhance Windows 10 Experience

To give users consistent experiences across devices and operating systems, the preloads include a suite of Lenovo-written applications. The new Lenovo Companion 3.0 optimization tool keeps devices running at peak performance and can be used at any time to run a full-scale checkup and report back with specific actions to free up space and speed up the device. As a "smart" device control hub, the new Lenovo Settings lets users easily adapt and modify the way their device behaves. For example, when in tablet mode, the product will customize its display and other settings based on its orientation versus in traditional laptop mode. Alternatively, the device's usage will also alter its settings, for example when watching a movie versus reading an e-book. With SHAREit, customers can quickly transfer files between devices. For tablet users WRITEit takes the pen to a new level of functionality allowing users to write in any input field with their pen and the handwriting is converted to text.

As announced at Tech World in May, Lenovo and Microsoft have worked to integrate Cortana and REACHit, Lenovo's groundbreaking app that allows users who opt-in to search for and manage their content across multiple devices and cloud storage platforms. With REACHit, Cortana becomes even smarter and more personal, enabling users to find their content such as emails, photos and videos in ways they never thought possible. Cortana and REACHit gives users a seamless, intuitive way to search through natural language and contextual understanding.

"With Windows 10, computing gets more personal, productive and connected," said Tom Shell, senior vice president, PC Business Group, Lenovo. "Across our entire PC product line, from the office to the home, we've optimized our Lenovo devices to give customers a great computing experience while giving them enhanced search tools like Cortana with REACHit."


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Razer Acquires OUYA Software Assets
Razer, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today confirmed it acquired the software assets of OUYA, including its content catalog and online retail platform. The technical team and developer relations personnel behind OUYA, the leading Android game platform for the television, have joined the software team of Razer, the company additionally reported. Financial details of the transaction, which closed on June 12, 2015, were not disclosed.

"Razer has a long-term vision for Android TV and Android-based TV consoles, such as the Xiaomi Mi Box and Alibaba Tmall Box, to which OUYA already publishes," says Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. "OUYA's work with game developers, both triple A and indies, went a long way in bringing Android games to the living room and Razer intends to further that work. This acquisition is envisaged to usher more developers and content to the Android TV platform."

In the near future, Razer will be providing existing OUYA users with a clear path of migration to the more advanced Forge TV micro-console and Serval controller bundle. Razer's intention is to allow OUYA users to bring their games, controllers, and accounts to the Cortex TV platform on the Forge micro-console, advancing the experience of Android gaming on TV that they have previously enjoyed. Additionally, Razer is planning deep product discounts for incoming OUYA users to purchase Razer hardware, and a spate of freebies, giveaways, and promotions to enjoy on their new Forge consoles.

Moving forward, Razer plans significant development of the Forge TV micro-console, controllers and software solutions to enhance the home entertainment experience. The company also intends to bring myriad additional games to the Android platform it purchased, through increased investment in developer and publisher programs, and with complementary technology partner initiatives.

The OUYA store acquired by Razer will in time be re-launched as Cortex for Android TV, a premier destination for Razer Forge TV games and other content.

While Razer is not retaining interest in OUYA hardware or related other assets, it does plan to publish Android TV content and Android-based TV console games under the OUYA moniker as a separate interest.

"When it comes to gamers, Min clearly knows what he is doing," says Brian Fargo, video game designer, producer, programmer and founder of Interplay Entertainment and inXile Entertainment. "I'm certain that he has clever ideas on how to make his many initiatives with Forge TV fit well with all the titles and hard work that OUYA put in."

Over the past year, Razer unveiled its Razer Forge TV, a high-performance Android TV micro-console to bring Android gaming into the living room, accompanied by a gaming controller, the Razer Serval. The Razer Forge TV ecosystem is based on an open platform. Content for the micro-console is provided by Razer, partners, independent developers and publishers alike, and is serviced through the Google Play store.

"Razer is the perfect home for OUYA and the team that made it all happen," says OUYA co-founder and CEO Julie Uhrman. "They can take the OUYA platform to new places, inspiring developers and embracing gamers, everywhere."


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FinalWire Announces AIDA64 v5.30 with Windows 10 and Intel "Skylake" Support
FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 5.30 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 5.30 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 5.30 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 5.30 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.
In parallel with the release of the new PC edition, the company's mobile app portfolio has also been extended to a new platform: besides the three big mobile ecosystems, the software is now available for Samsung's Tizen. Even though this is a lesser known mobile operating system, it is already used on more than 1 million devices, mainly in South Asia. The goal of AIDA64 developers is to make the program available on more and more desktop and mobile platforms. The success of their entry into the mobile market is illustrated by the fact that AIDA64 has been downloaded more than 250,000 times on Android, Windows Phone and iOS devices combined for the past 4 months.

DOWNLOAD: AIDA64 Extreme v5.30 Installer | ZIP Package
"When we release an update, it's always one of our priorities to ensure that AIDA64 seamlessly supports the needs of home users, system integrators and sysadmins, so that they can use our software on the latest hardware and operating systems. We believe that PC users will migrate to Windows 10 and Intel Skylake in great numbers, that's why providing support for these was our top priority", said Tamás Miklós, managing director of FinalWire. "Porting our app to Tizen was a real challenge for us in programming terms as this ecosystem is still in its infancy. Sure, we don't expect this edition to become a huge hit, but we are glad to be among the first to offer a great app for the users of this promising platform."
The latest AIDA64 update implements full support for the upcoming Intel Skylake processors, adds advanced support for Microsoft Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 operating systems, and supports the latest graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by both AMD and nVIDIA.
New features & improvements

• Microsoft Windows 10 RTM and Windows Server 2016 RTM support
• AVX2 and FMA accelerated 64-bit benchmarks for Intel Skylake and Broadwell-H CPUs
• Optimized 64-bit benchmarks for Intel Braswell and Cherry Trail processors
• AVX and SSE accelerated 64-bit benchmarks for AMD Nolan APU
• Improved support for Intel Braswell, Broadwell-H, Cherry Trail, Skylake CPUs
• Preliminary support for AMD Stoney APU
• Preliminary support for Intel Cannonlake, Goldmont and Skylake-E/EN/EP/EX processors
• AlphaCool Heatmaster II sensor device support
• Support for Modding-FAQ, Noteu, Saitek Pro Flight Instrument Panel, Saitek X52 Pro, UCSD LCD devices
• Portrait mode support for AlphaCool and Samsung SPF LCDs
• SMBIOS 3.0 and VirtualBox 5.0 support
• Kingston HyperX Savage, OCZ Trion 100, OCZ Vector 180 SSD support
• GPU details for AMD Radeon Rx 300 and R9 Fury Series
• GPU details for nVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, Tesla M60

What's new since AIDA64 v5.00

• RemoteSensor smartphone and tablet LCD integration
• Logitech Arx Control smartphone and tablet LCD integration
• Optimized 64-bit benchmarks for AMD Carrizo APU
• AVX2 and FMA accelerated 64-bit benchmarks for Intel Broadwell CPU
• Aquaduct, Aquaero, AquaStream XT, MPS, PowerAdjust 2, PowerAdjust 3 sensor devices support
• Thermaltake DPS-G power supply unit sensor support
• Support for Gravitech, LCD Smartie Hardware, Leo Bodnar, Odospace LCD devices
• SensorPanel and LCD: right-to-left bars, static label control strings
• 0.01 Celsius temperature measurement resolution for select sensor items
• System certificates information
• CUDA 7.0, OpenCL 2.1 support
• Corsair Neutron XT, Crucial BX100, Crucial MX200, SanDisk Ultra II SSD support
• GPU details for nVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, GeForce GTX Titan X

The AIDA64 product family for Windows PCs consists of three business editions and a home edition. The company's flagship IT asset management offering is AIDA64 Business, while a dedicated network inventory solution called AIDA64 Network Audit is also available, for a lower license fee. Designed for corporate engineers and IT technicians, AIDA64 Engineer includes expert tools not available in AIDA64 Extreme, the home edition of the software. Today all four AIDA64 editions are updated to v5.30.
Pricing and Availability
AIDA64 v5.30 and AIDA64 for Tizen are globally available today. The Tizen app is freely downloadable from the Tizen store.


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Mushkin Launches New ATLAS VITAL Family of Solid-State Drives
Mushkin Enhanced MFG, an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance and cost-effective solid state storage products, today announced its latest addition to the ATLAS family of products - the new ATLAS VITAL M.2 2280 Series for Ultrabooks, notebooks, and small form-factor PCs. Atlas Vital is suitable for mobile gamers, professionals, or general end-users looking to take their computing experience to the next level with solid state storage.

Leveraging Seagate's SandForce SF-2000 series SSD processor with a SATA 3.0 interface, the ATLAS VITAL provides stable performance with sequential read and write speeds up to 550 and 535MB/s respectively and 4KB random transactional performance of up to 86,000 IOPS for low-latency computing and high throughput. With these features, the ATLAS VITAL is an ideal solution for value-minded users looking to improve their systems' response time and greatly reduce their operating system boot and application load times compared to a traditional hard drive.

"With our latest ATLAS VITAL M.2 series, budget-conscious users can now experience Mushkin-enhanced SSDs in their Ultrabooks, notebooks and small form-factor PCs such as the recently-released M.2-compatible Intel NUC," said Brian Flood, Director of Product Development.

The ATLAS VITAL M.2 2280 is being offered in 120 GB, 240 GB, 250 GB, 480 GB and 500 GB capacities - meeting the needs of even the most demanding users. Available today at all Mushkin Authorized retailers.

Part Numbers:

• MKNSSDAV120GB-D8: ATLAS VITAL 120 GB M.2 2280
• MKNSSDAV240GB-D8: ATLAS VITAL 240 GB M.2 2280
• MKNSSDAV250GB-D8: ATLAS VITAL 250 GB M.2 2280
• MKNSSDAV480GB-D8: ATLAS VITAL 480 GB M.2 2280
• MKNSSDAV500GB-D8: ATLAS VITAL 500 GB M.2 2280

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